HockeyBuzz Hotstove: How should the Ottawa Senators handle the Erik Karlsson situation?

http://www.sportsnet.ca/h...karlsson-want-win-ottawa/

Give him a blank check on day 1 of negotiations.

All this discussion is stupid. Asking him about a new contract during the worst team slump in years is just asking for trouble.

If he wants to stay, he will stay. If he wants to jet, he will jet. If he wants to move on, hopefully the team can work a similar deal with what happened with Turris.

The hotstovers really should be more informed though. A huge part of a deal is likely dependant on ownership, which could very well be changing in the not too distant future. Selling a team with no Erik Karlsson is likely more difficult than with Erik Karlsson. If a new ownership group comes into play that does not pinch every coin, Karlsson will ink long term. A new ownership group only comes into play if a building is going in downtown.

There will be a domino effect one way or another.

Give him a blank check on day 1 of negotiations.

All this discussion is stupid. Asking him about a new contract during the worst team slump in years is just asking for trouble.

If he wants to stay, he will stay. If he wants to jet, he will jet. If he wants to move on, hopefully the team can work a similar deal with what happened with Turris.

The hotstovers really should be more informed though. A huge part of a deal is likely dependant on ownership, which could very well be changing in the not too distant future. Selling a team with no Erik Karlsson is likely more difficult than with Erik Karlsson. If a new ownership group comes into play that does not pinch every coin, Karlsson will ink long term. A new ownership group only comes into play if a building is going in downtown.

There will be a domino effect one way or another.
- Gord_Wilson_2.0

Well duh. The point is: Should the Sens capitalize on his value and move him now(ish)? Or risk losing him for absolutely nothing on July 1st 2019?

Better than the Zdeno Chara. Wade Redden negotiations I hope

I believe they should trade him now for the following pieces that will only help stabilize the Sens. Trade Mr. Karlsson to the NY Rangers for Ryan McDonagh, Matt Zucarello, Prospect Sean Day, 2018 1st rnd Pick and 2019 2nd rnd pick for Karlsson and Colin White.

I believe they should trade him now for the following pieces that will only help stabilize the Sens. Trade Mr. Karlsson to the NY Rangers for Ryan McDonagh, Matt Zucarello, Prospect Sean Day, 2018 1st rnd Pick and 2019 2nd rnd pick for Karlsson and Colin White.
- rangerbluelou

The sens arent trading him this season, that is for sure.
Talk to him in the summer, if they get a sense its about money and winning...then trade him in the off season. He wont get either in Ottawa.

He wants to win and play for team that spends to the cap.
Ottawa isnt that team

I believe they should trade him now for the following pieces that will only help stabilize the Sens. Trade Mr. Karlsson to the NY Rangers for Ryan McDonagh, Matt Zucarello, Prospect Sean Day, 2018 1st rnd Pick and 2019 2nd rnd pick for Karlsson and Colin White.
- rangerbluelou

thats awful...so no....

they will sign him..to all the money...and if he doesnt want all the money from Ottawa then you look to trade...but absolutely only if he flat out says he isnt signing here...

8 years 100mil is my guess

I believe they should trade him now for the following pieces that will only help stabilize the Sens. Trade Mr. Karlsson to the NY Rangers for Ryan McDonagh, Matt Zucarello, Prospect Sean Day, 2018 1st rnd Pick and 2019 2nd rnd pick for Karlsson and Colin White.
- rangerbluelou

Senators response:

How do you handle it? You remind everyone that he's signed through 2018-2019 and politely ask them to shut up and move on.

I say wait until AFTER a coaching change near the end of the season. Important to not try and change too much all at once. See how Karlsson and the team reacts and plays under a different coach (or Crawford) and go from there.

If things improve, he may be a bit more motivated to stay and accept a friendlier deal. If they don't improve, you know it may be time to get what you can for him.

todd want to give him the max, that could be over 16 million dollars. i wouldnt pay more than 11, but he will definitely get more than 11 from someone

How do you handle it? You remind everyone that he's signed through 2018-2019 and politely ask them to shut up and move.
- AlfieFever

indeed, its a bit early for all this

Here are the problems.

#1. He is an amazing player who isn't playing amazing right now and how knows how is ankle is going to be moving forward.

#2. He wants to win a cup and any team that can afford him isn't in a position to contend for a cup.

#3. If he wants max pay then the Sens wont be able to afford their top end talent even if they spend to the cap they will need to lose some players.

#4. He seems to have the Alfie bad attitude lately.

#5. If he goes to another team they are going to want a year or two to make sure he can prove himself in their line up.

All of which are not good for any team or Karlsson. As much as it kills me to say, Karlsson should learn a lesson from the Pens. They have Crosby and Malkin at a discount and are able to afford to build a cup contender every year.

I'd say offer him $11-$12 million over 6 years or 8 years $9 million a year and then work on resigning the rest

Well at least we didn't have to read Tanners opinion on the matter.

I am guessing something like 10% odds that he somehow gets dealt this season, 60% he resigns in the summer, and 30% he gets dealt in the summer. The only thing that has zero odds is him getting to UFA status on July 1 2019.

Pains me to say because I love EK, but paying him 12-13M per year until 2027 may not be the wisest decision.

I am guessing something like 10% odds that he somehow gets dealt this season, 60% he resigns in the summer, and 30% he gets dealt in the summer. The only thing that has zero odds is him getting to UFA status on July 1 2019.

Pains me to say because I love EK, but paying him 12-13M per year until 2027 may not be the wisest decision.
- wilkobecks

Vegas should add him before the deadline and make a cup run. Maybe they can even take on a contract like Phaneuf or B. Ryan to lighten the necessary return.

Ottawa should sell high on Karlsson. He is a phenomenal talent for sure(generational) But history tells us that his best years could be right now, Or behind him. No doubt he will be great for numerous more years but Whomever pays his next contract won't be coming close to getting their "bang-for-their-buck" The window of paying for free agents/ high end talent is slowly dwindling as fewer and fewer teams have the cap space to sign someone like Karlsson. Should be interesting.

Vegas should add him before the deadline and make a cup run. Maybe they can even take on a contract like Phaneuf or B. Ryan to lighten the necessary return.
- RonPielep

vegas has nowhere close to the assets necessary to acquire karlsson

1. their prospect pool is basically empty since they've had only 1 draft in their existence

2. they're playing damn well so their drafts picks aren't that appealing

3. they don't have any young players on their roster that ottawa would be looking for in a rebuild.....which is exactly what they'd be in if they traded karlsson away

i would say that of every team in the league, vegas is the least likely to be able to trade for karlsson

Nobody knows what Karlsson meant when he said what he said besides himself and his agent. Doughty has been making similar statements as well and they are both represented by the same agency. With Doughty, I know his first priority is playing for a winner but I'm sure there is no way he will take less money than Subban who is not on the level of Doughty or Karlsson, so there is that factor to come into play because of the whole feeling underpaid factor.

I don't know Karlsson's personality well enough to make any true judgement. I would guess that he is playing hardball just like Doughty and it may be coming from their agents. Watching Karlsson in the times I have seen him show me that his offensive skills are great but defensively he is still a conundrum. I wouldn't pay him a small fortune, but that's just me.

He will make it difficult on Ottawa signing other players with his big contract and I would say he should take a hometown discount to help them sign others but having a owner who won’t spend money year after year he should ask for his big payday there not gonna spend money to surround him with other pieces he might as well get paid or make them consider trading him so he could get on a team that will.

I believe they should trade him now for the following pieces that will only help stabilize the Sens. Trade Mr. Karlsson to the NY Rangers for Ryan McDonagh, Matt Zucarello, Prospect Sean Day, 2018 1st rnd Pick and 2019 2nd rnd pick for Karlsson and Colin White.
- rangerbluelou

Do you honestly believe this is fair?? You’re (frank)ng high if you do.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/senators-erik-karlsson-want-win-ottawa/
- forbetterorWORSE

Even a Sens fan can't believe the backtrack or how what he said was taken out of context.

Hey, he may want to stay, and he might re-sign on day 1.

Whether he was pissed off or not, or they caught him on a bad day or whether he even really meant it, the message was crystal clear and wasn't "taken out of context".

Well at least we didn't have to read Tanners opinion on the matter.
- karlssens65